Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Chemicals

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish the Government’s UK Chemicals Strategy.

Trudy Harrison: We have been engaging closely with external partners over the last few months through a series of collaborative workshops as we develop our strategic approach to chemicals management. This builds on the commitment in the 25 year Environment Plan to set out our strategy on tackling chemicals of concern. No publication date has yet been set.

Water Supply

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the effect of hot weather in July and August 2022 on the availability of water in the UK.

Trudy Harrison: The Environment Agency (EA) keeps a close eye on the water situation in England and continues to work with water companies and other abstractors to monitor water resources to inform how much water is available. Water availability has been significantly affected by the current drought. During warm dry weather, demand for water also increases. It is largely due to increases in outdoor domestic water use. In the 2018 drought, a study across 15 water companies found companies experienced peak demands of between 120 per cent and 250 per cent above the previous year. Essential water supplies remain secure, but water company supply is deteriorating, particularly for South West Water, Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent Water. Average rainfall over the autumn and winter is needed to replenish rivers, lakes, groundwaters and reservoirs to normal levels by the spring and prevent further environmental degradation. EA monthly reports on rainfall, soil moisture deficit, river flows, groundwater levels and reservoir levels can be found at Water situation: national monthly reports for England 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Question

Sir Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the Minister of State for South and Central Asia, North Africa, UN and the Commonwealth will respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for North Herefordshire of 21 June and 5 September.

Vicky Ford: We have received the correspondence of 5 September and will respond within 20 working days as per the Cabinet Office guidelines. The correspondence received on 21 June was sent to a 'no reply' email address.

Climate Change: International Cooperation

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) his international counterparts on the establishment of an international loss and damage fund ahead of COP27.

Vicky Ford: At COP26, a 'Glasgow Dialogue on Loss and Damage' was established to discuss the arrangements for the funding of activities to avert, minimise and address loss and damage. The Santiago Network (a platform for catalysing technical assistance on loss and damage for developing countries) was also progressed through the agreement of clear functions and funding. The UK participates in both the Glasgow Dialogue and Santiago Network at official representative level with a view to making both effective. Ministers will continue to engage on Loss and Damage including at COP27, to ensure that the important dialogues and progress on this issue that happened in Glasgow are built on.

Myanmar: Capital Punishment

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps her Department has taken in response to the executions of Phyo Zeya Thaw, Kyaw Min Yu, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw in Myanmar.

Jesse Norman: The UK has condemned the Myanmar military regime's executions of four pro-democracy and opposition leaders as reprehensible acts of violence. We have raised the lack of transparency and due process in the sentencing of the individuals, and continue to call on the military not to use the death penalty against other pro-democracy activists. Both the British Embassy in Yangon and the former Minister for Asia have made it clear the UK stands against the death penalty in all circumstances and advocates for its abolition worldwide.

Development Aid: Asian Development Bank

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what performance targets his Department places on its spending through the Asian Development Bank.

Jesse Norman: As part of the process of agreeing the Asian Development Bank's 12th Replenishment of the Asia Development Fund (ADF13), the Bank agreed a number of policy commitments and results targets with the UK and other shareholders. We monitor progress on delivering these commitments closely through the Board of Directors and meetings of ADF donors. For example, between 2019 and 2021, the Bank has supported with the Bank has supported with concessional finance, 4.7 million people to benefit from improved health services, created 70,000 skilled jobs for women, supported 165,00 women and girls to completing secondary or tertiary education or other training, and reduced CO2 emissions by 127,000 tonnes annually. We are also closely tracking the Bank's commitment to use at least 35% of ADF13 resources to finance climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Myanmar: Democracy

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps she has taken through (a) international diplomacy, (b) Official Development Assistance, or (c) other means, to support democracy in Myanmar.

Jesse Norman: The UK stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and their call for democracy. We led a strong international response to the coup, including through the G7 and UN Security Council (UNSC). On 27 July, we secured a UNSC statement condemning the military's execution of pro-democracy activists. We are working continuously to amplify the voices of the National Unity Consultative Council, the National Unity Government (NUG) and other pro-democracy voices, including at the UNSC. To underline this, the then Minister for Asia, Amanda Milling met Dr Zaw Wai Soe, the NUG's Minister for Health and Education, in May and reiterated the UK's support for a return to democracy. The UK remains a significant donor in Myanmar and our development programme is supporting diverse civil society and pro-democracy voices, including women's rights organisations, LGBT+ groups and youth. We are also working to protect civic space, human rights and media freedom.

Ministry of Defence

A400M Aircraft

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the (a) roles and (b) missions previously performed by the Hercules C-130J have transitioned to the Airbus A400M as of 20 September 2022.

James Heappey: The Hercules C-130J remains in service with RAF into 2023. The Atlas A400M is a more modern and capable aircraft, offering the opportunity to approach those tasks carried out by the Hercules C-130J in a different manner so will not simply replicate how the Hercules C130J currently delivers the mission set.

Ukraine: Military Aid

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ukrainian armed forces personnel have been training in the UK as part of Operation Interflex.

James Heappey: The UK has so far trained more than 5,700 Ukrainian personnel as part of Operation Interflex. In addition, the UK has provided training for specific capabilities that have been donated to Ukraine.

Warships

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the dates for his last meetings with the First Sea Lord about the Royal Navy’s balance between surface and subsurface fleets.

Mr Ben Wallace: I will await the results of the review before I discuss the outcomes with the First Sea Lord. The review will predominantly look at future threats and to what extent surface and subsurface fleets can play a role in defending against them.

Warships

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the dates for his last meetings with the Chief of the Defence Staff about the Royal Navy’s balance between surface and subsurface fleets.

Mr Ben Wallace: I will await the results of the review before I discuss the outcomes with the Chief of the Defence Staff. The review will predominantly look at future threats and to what extent surface and subsurface fleets can play a role in defending against them.

Department of Health and Social Care

NHS: Dentistry

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the average time it has taken for dentists whose primary qualification is from outside the UK to receive an NHS performer number from the time of application in each NHS region in each of the last five financial years.

Will Quince: This information is not held centrally.

Bladder Cancer

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve the (a) treatment, (b) diagnosis and (c) survival rates for people with bladder cancer.

Will Quince: NHS England (NHSE) has funded the following treatments for bladder cancer from the date of draft positive National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance in the last 12 months:- September 2021 - Atezolizumab for untreated PD-L1-positive advanced urothelial cancer when cisplatin is unsuitable- April 2022 - Avelumab for maintenance treatment of locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer after platinum-based chemotherapy- July 2022 - nivolumab for adjuvant treatment of invasive urothelial cancer at high risk of recurrence.The NHSE Cancer Programme’s key approach to improving survival rates for cancer, including bladder cancer, is earlier diagnosis. One of the principal priorities, as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan, is to increase the proportion of cancers diagnosed at stages one and two to 75% by 2028. The latest NHS ‘Help Us Help You’ campaign focuses on the barriers to earlier presentation across all cancer types, and aims to address some of the underlying challenges to earlier diagnosis. This phase of the campaign has so far run during March and June 2022 and in both months saw 1,600% increases in the numbers of visits to the NHS website’s cancer symptoms page. NHSE’s plans include repeating the abdominal and urological symptoms campaign, which addresses symptoms relevant to bladder cancer.

Department for International Trade

UK Trade with EU

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department takes to monitor and assess trade lost by British businesses with EU partners due to Brexit.

Mr Marcus Fysh: The Department has an extensive analytical function which monitors trade flows published by the Office for National Statistics. UK exports to the EU totalled 274.8 billion in the 12 months to March 2022.The department has supported over 11,000 UK businesses to trade with Europe through the Export Support Service and, through our independent trade policy, we have opened up opportunities for UK businesses across the world. We have agreed trade deals with 71 countries and the EU, accounting for £808bn of UK trade in 2021 and including our first new deals negotiated from scratch with Australia and New Zealand.